Mallapuram (Kerala) [India], Mar 20 : The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, along with officials from National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) reviewed the current situation, state preparedness and action taken to deal with West Nile Fever (WNF) here after a minor boy in the district who was diagnosed with the disease passed away.
The Ministry has deputed a multi-disciplinary public health team to investigate various epidemiological aspects of West Nile Virus in the district and the state, according to a press statement issued on Tuesday.
The state has been advised to follow the National Vector Borne Disease Control Program (NVBDCP) guidelines of personal protective measures to prevent mosquito bites. It has also been recommended to carry out vector surveillance and control in coordination with NVBDCP.
“All cases of JE/AES are to be investigated as per guidelines of JE/ AES and also tested for West Nile Virus. Further, the community is to be sensitized through IEC campaigns on use of personal protective measures to prevent mosquito bites as per NVBDCP Guidelines,” the release mentioned.
West Nile Fever is a mosquito-borne zoonotic disease caused by a flavivirus -West Nile Virus (WNV). This virus is related to viruses that cause Japanese Encephalitis, yellow fever and St. Louis encephalitis. Human infection is most often due to bites from infected mosquitoes.
To date, no human-to-human transmission of WNV through casual contact has been documented. Infection with WNV is either asymptomatic (no symptoms) in around 80 per cent of infected people, or can lead to West Nile fever or severe West Nile disease.